Monarda hybrid plant named ‘Mojo’

ABSTRACT

A new, distinct Monarda hybrid plant as shown and described, characterized by the combination of purple colored new growth, purple flowers, and plants that are resistant to powdery mildew.

Latin name: Monarda hybrid.

Cultivar name: ‘Mojo’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Monarda plant, botanically known as Monarda hybrid and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Mojo’. The new Monarda plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Hebron, Ill., USA. The objective of the breeding program is to create new Monarda plants that are resistant to powdery mildew. The new Monarda plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination of an unnamed plant of Monarda bradburiana as the female patent and an unnamed plant of Monarda fistulosa as the male parent, grown in a controlled environment in Hebron, Ill., USA during the summer of 2014. Asexual reproduction of the new Monarda plant by softwood cuttings in Hebron, Ill., USA since the summer of 2015, has shown that the unique features of this new Monarda plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations. No plants of the new Monarda have been sold in this country, or anywhere in the world, prior to the filing of this application, nor has any disclosure of the new plant been made prior to the filing of this application with the exception of that which was disclosed within one year of filing of this application and was either derived directly or indirectly for the inventor.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Monarda have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Mojo’.

These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Mojo’ as a new and distinct Monarda plant:

-   -   1. 200 A new growth.     -   2. Purple-colored N78 B flowers.     -   3. Resistant to powdery mildew.

Plants of the new Monarda differ primarily from plants of ‘Pink Lace’ U.S. Plant Pat. No. 18,367 in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Monarda are taller than plants of ‘Pink         Lace’.     -   2. Flowers of plants of the new Monarda are darker in color than         flowers of plants of ‘Pink Lace’.

Plants of the new Monarda can be compared to plants of the female parent an unnamed plant of Monarda bradburiana.

In side-by-side comparisons plants of the new Monarda differ from plants of an unnamed plant of Monarda bradburiana in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Monarda are more upright and taller than         plants of an unnamed plant of Monarda bradburiana.     -   2. Flowers of plants of the new Monarda are darker in color than         flowers of plants of an unnamed plant of Monarda bradburiana.

Plants of the new Monarda can be compared to plants of the male parent an unnamed plant of Monarda fistulosa.

In side-by-side comparisons plants of the new Monarda differ from plants of the unnamed plant of Monarda fistulosa in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Monarda are shorter than plants of the         unnamed plant of Monarda fistulosa.     -   2. Flowers of plants of the new Monarda are lighter in color         than the purple flowers of plants of the unnamed plant of         Monarda fistulosa.

DESCRIPTION OF PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Monarda plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the actual colors of the new Monarda plant.

FIG. 1. Close up of the new foliage on a one year old plant in Hebron, Ill. USA.

FIG. 2. Close up flower in June on a one year old plant in Hebron, Ill. USA.

FIG. 3. One gallon, Blooming plants in June on one year old plants in Hebron, Ill. USA.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe one year old plants grown during the summer in an outdoor nursery in Hebron, Ill. USA and under typical production conditions. In the detailed description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Plant description: -   Botanical classification: Monarda hybrid. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Monarda bradburiana, unnamed             seedling.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Monarda fistulosa, unnamed             seedling. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type cutting.—By softwood cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About two weeks.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About two             months.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; grey brown in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Perennial, upright and outwardly             spreading plant form; broad; basal branching habit;             moderately vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—60 cm.         -   Plant width.—50 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 25 cm. Diameter:             About 3 mm. -   Internode length: About 5 cm. Strength: Strong. Aspect: Upright.     Texture: Slightly pubescent. Color: 200 B. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.         -   Length.—About 77 mm.         -   Width.—About 5 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Rounded to truncate.         -   Margin.—Serrate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Slightly rugose;             pubescent.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: 200 A. Developing             leaves, lower surface: N79 A. Mature leaves, upper surface             137 B, Mature leaf, lower surface 191 A.         -   Petiole size.—Length. — About 23 mm and diameter. — About 2             mm.         -   Petiole color, upper surface.—N186 C, lower surface. — 59 A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower form, arrangement and flowering habit.—Single labiate             and sessile flowers arranged in terminal globular spikes;             flowers face outwardly; freely flowering habit with about             180 flowers developing per inflorescence.         -   Natural flowering season.—Continuous flowering from early             June to July in Hebron, Ill., USA.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About five days; flowers not             persistent.         -   Fragrance.—Faintly fragrant; spicy, pleasant.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 3 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Shape: Narrowly oblanceolate; Curved. Color: N78 B.         -   Inflorescence size.—Length: About 5 cm. Diameter: About 6             cm.         -   Inflorescence bracts, typical and observed.—Arrangement:             subtending, Number: 8-10, Shape: ovate, Length: about 4 cm.             Width: 15-20 mm, Apex: acute, Margin: entire, Base:             truncate, Color: At the base N78 B blending into 137 C at             the tips.         -   Flowers.—Diameter: About 3 mm. Depth: About 3 cm.         -   Petals.—Arrangement: Labiate; upper lip hooded; lower lip, a             single lobe; lips fused. Length, upper and lower lips: About             3 cm. Width, upper lip: About 1 mm. Width, lower lip: About             4 mm. Shape, upper lip: Lanceolate; apex, narrowly acute.             Shape, lower lip: Oblanceolate; apex, aristate. Margin,             upper and lower lips: Entire. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Pubescent. Color: When opening, upper and lower             surfaces and when fully opened, upper and lower surfaces:             N78 B.         -   Sepals.—Arrangement: Five in a single whorl: fused, tubular.             Length: About 9 mm. Width: About 2.5 mm. Apex: Narrowly             acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:             Pubescent. Color: When opening, upper and lower surfaces and             fully opened, upper and lower surfaces: 137 B with a stripe             down the middle toward the base color, N79 D.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower. Two.             Filament length. About 1.5 cm. Filament color: Close to 68 C             to 68 D. Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther shape: Narrowly             elliptic. Anther color: Close to 71 A. Pollen amount:             Scarce. Pollen color: 96 D. Pistils: Quantity per flower:             One. Pistil length: About 25 mm. Stigma shape: Cleft. Stigma             color: N82 B. Style length: 20 mm Style color N82 B. Ovary             color green.         -   Seed and fruit.—Seed and fruit production have not been             observed. -   Disease resistance: Plants of the new Monarda have been observed to     be resistant to powdery mildew common to Monarda plants. -   Pest resistance: Plants of the new Monarda have not been observed to     be resistant to pests and other pathogens common to Monarda plants. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Monarda have exhibited good     tolerance to rain and wind, have been observed to be hardy to USDA     Zone 5 and to tolerate high temperatures of about 35° C. 

I claim:
 1. A new, distinct Monarda hybrid plant as shown and described, characterized by the combination of purple colored new growth, purple flowers, and plants that are resistant to powdery mildew compared to the seed parent. 